Testimony: House speaker hired to open doors with othersSalonHumphrey said Hubbard's work for the company included calling the then-speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and emailing Auburn University Athletics Director Jay Jacobs asking for help arranging a meeting for the company with an ...

Markale Hart, who is charged with murdering former Auburn H-back Jakell Mitchell on Dec. 14, 2014, testified during an immunity hearing in Auburn on Tuesday that could determine whether Hart acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Mitchell.

Auburn is College World Series bound again, as the Tigers took down Arizona in the Super Regional to advance. The Auburn softball team used pitching and timely hitting Sunday to clinch a spot in the College World Series for the second year in a row. After falling on Saturday 5-3 to Arizona, head coach Clint […]

Testimony: Alabama House speaker was hired to open doors with othersChattanooga Times Free PressHumphrey said Hubbard's work for the company included calling the then-speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and emailing Auburn University Athletics Director Jay Jacobs asking for contacts for the company as it tried to get cleared by ...

Testimony: House speaker hired to open doors with othersWRCB-TVHumphrey said Hubbard's work for the company included calling the then-speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and emailing Auburn University Athletics Director Jay Jacobs asking for contacts for the company as it tried to get cleared by ...

Testimony: House speaker hired to open doors with othersU.S. News & World ReportHumphrey said Hubbard's work for the company included calling the then-speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and emailing Auburn University Athletics Director Jay Jacobs asking for contacts for the company as it tried to get cleared by ...

A decision for Eli Jenkins247SportsJenkins, who led the Gamecocks to the FCS Championship Game last season, is expected to graduate at the end of the first term of summer school and drew interest from Auburn, Oregon and others as a potential graduate transfer. But Jenkins, a lifelong ...

After rumors arose in December, which Gus Malzahn emphatically denied, things quieted down through Spring Practice. Now, with the semester over and summer school beginning, the rumors came up again. This time, they turned out to be true. Roc Thomas, a former 5* running back, is transferring from Auburn to Jacksonville State.

Thomas came into Auburn with a lot of promise. Being a 5* will do that. Unfortunately, he was behind Cameron Artis-Payne for most of 2014, struggled with the occasional fumble at the worst possible time, and then spent most of 2015 with various minor injuries.

I'm not going to say him leaving doesn't hurt, because it does. Thomas had excellent hands, and when he was in space he could do a lot of damage. He wasn't going to play the traditional running back role in 2016, though. He was much more likely to be a slot receiver/speed sweep rusher.

Thomas will go to Jacksonville State, where his former high school coach is the head coach, his girlfriend attends, and is minutes from his hometown of Oxford.

For Auburn, Jovon Robinson was the likely workhorse going into Fall, and now that's pretty much cemented in place. Backing him up will be sophomore Kerryon Johnson - who is just as dynamic as Roc, and should fill his role - freshman Malik Miller, and fullbacks Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox. One possibility for the Tigers is that we could now see 3-4 of those on the field at the same time. Combine that with the incoming wide receivers, and there is a ton of potential for big plays on the offense.

Scout spends countless hours per year tracking and evaluating top college football prospects and opinion from the prep star himself should be included. Here's Auburn pledge TaDarian Moultry on what he does best.

Verne and Gary will be on their last hoorah this season. So, let's look back at some of their best Auburn calls.

The SEC on CBS has been through a number of different combinations of play-by-play and color analysts over the years. Iconic voices like Brent Musburger and Jim Nantz have been the lead man at various points. For the last 15 years, though, the voice coming through your TV every Saturday at 3:30pm Eastern (and occasionally in Prime Time) has been Verne Lundquist.

Verne, the voice of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament and one of the voices of The Masters on CBS, is a staple in broadcasting. And, since 2006, there has been no team of broadcasters SEC fans have loved to hate more than Verne and his partner Gary Danielson.

Following the 2016 season, Verne/Gary will be no more. Verne is moving on (he'll continue to broadcast other events), and he'll be replaced by Todd Blackledge. As far as I'm aware, Gary Danielson will still be around.

Auburn's total record on the SEC on CBS is 22-21, which is not all that spectacular. However, most SEC schools are right around the .500 number. Florida is, by far, the best, with a .701 winning percentage on the network.

Three of Auburn's games feature in the Top 10 SEC games on CBS. The 2010 Cam Back, 2013 Miracle at Jordan-Hare, and the 2013 Kick Six. There's also the 2010 LSU game and the Danielson call on Cam's acceleration. So, because who really needs an excuse to show highlights of those games, let's look back on those wonderful times.

There are other highlights, of course. These are just a few of the best. So what's your favorite? Vote below and leave your own in the comments, below, if you've got another one in mind.

Scout spends countless hours per year tracking and evaluating top college football prospects and opinion from the prep star himself should be included. Here's Auburn pledge TaDarian Moultry on what he does best.

There is some potentially big Auburn football recruiting news concerning the most important position on the field. With the firing of Art Briles on Friday, Baylor pledge Kellen Mond (No. 48/ESPN) — always a high priority for the Tigers and even more-so after former commit Lowell Narcisse (No. 38/ESPN) verballed to in-state LSU — is […]

Curious about this year's bracket? You can see it, here. It certainly looks like Auburn has the easier path to the Championship Series through the upper bracket. Let's just hope they can win out and not have to deal with the elimination bracket, this season.

FOOTBALL

Do you want to see a video of Auburn football players in off-season training? Yes, of course, you do. It's a football video and we're in the long doldrums of the off-season, now. You'll watch almost anything related to football.

Monday, May 30, 2016

News broke a few days ago, via Twitter, that Tim Irvin was leaving the Auburn football program. In a screen-shot message posted on social media, Irvin thanked Auburn University and said he appreciated the coaches and fans, but it was “better for me to pursue my career elsewhere.”

Just when things couldn’t seem to get any hotter, rumors began circulating that Auburn running back and former five-star recruit Roc Thomas was transferring to Jacksonville State. Since the initial report by AuburnUndercover, precious little information has come to light to verify the rumor.

This wouldn’t be the first time that the rumor mill has spoken of Thomas and his discontent at Auburn, going back to Auburn’s Birmingham Bowl game. But, until the paperwork is done and a press conference is held, it remains just a story by an outside source who claims the info was from a source close to Thomas.

What is official is that Irvin is leaving, and the source is the University. That makes 11 players since Auburn thumped Memphis. Is there a common thread indicating a problem with the Auburn program?

With Irvin it’s easy to point to the playing time aspect. But any time this happens, questions arise: Was he unhappy with coaches? Did he have an attitude problem? There are dozens of scenarios that could have led to Irvin leaving, but only he fully knows. He was sliding down the depth chart with just an outside chance to play nickel, so lack of playing time seems to be the most likely reason for him to leave.

His departure taken by itself means very little. Washouts and transfers happen constantly on every single team in college football for a multitude of reasons. Fans tend to forget that teams have around 100 players, including walk-ons. Auburn, like every team, is going to have some turnover for personal issues, playing time, injuries and academics. But, it seems that some fans want to point to something like program instability.

A quick look into reasons the 11 are leaving shows that these are personal decisions about personal opportunities—not program issues. Lets take a look.

Peyton Barber. Whether or not he and his family’s situation was as dire as fans were led to believe, it seemed obvious that Barber would not be the featured running back in 2016. In addition, Barber escaped most of 2015 without injury, something he was unable to do earlier in his collegiate career. NFL fans know running backs have a short shelf life, and Barber took advantage of the small window he had for making NFL money.

Shon Coleman/Avery Young. The average NFL player lasts less than four years, and the real money is in the second contract. Coleman, who received extra eligibility after battling leukemia and was already one of the older underclassman in college football, also took advantage of his NFL opportunity. Avery Young, the versatile lineman with an NFL pedigree, flirted with going to the NFL after the 2014 season, but he held back. After the 2015 season, his time had come.

Both were undrafted. Did they leave draft money on the table? Absolutely. But, again, the money is in the second contract, which means you have to have a first contract to get the second opportunity.

JaViere Mitchell/Gimel President. Both of these guys simply faced tough situations. After playing for four different coordinators, the two players graduated and decided to transfer where they still have eligibility. This was a simple playing time issue.

Gray King. Even in a unit with as many question marks as Auburn’s, he simply wasn’t going to be an SEC receiver.

Chris Laye. The Malzahn offense experimented for two years with using a hybrid tight end/H-back. It didn’t work.

Will Adams/Jordan Diamond. One of the areas where Auburn really needs quality depth was on the offensive line. However, neither of these graduating players were able to crack the starting lineup at Auburn. Diamond, in particular, struggled with injuries. Though Auburn doesn’t have great depth on the line, younger players will get the nod before out-going seniors.

Jordan Colbert. The redshirt freshman was a promising four-star corner with good size, which is probably why he will be playing linebacker at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi. According to sources, he was not granted a full release. It’s left to speculation, but judging by his school choice, he may not have been able to maintain the academics.

The possible 12th transfer is Roc Thomas. Unlike most of the other players mentioned above, this one really matters because Thomas has been a starter and looked to be in line to be a contributor. Sunshine pumpers believe he “just didn’t have the heart to compete” or that he was prone to injury and fumbling. Reportedly, fans of other teams want to believe Auburn is about to collapse into a fiery pit of off-the-field issues, and Thomas is just one of many players trying to get out.

Would Thomas’ departure hurt Auburn? Absolutely.

With Kerryon Johnson recovering from shoulder surgery, Jovon Robinson is Auburn’s only established tailback. Auburn is one play away from some serious depth issues. Thomas has skills, some of which hadn’t quite been fully tapped, and it seemed that the coaching staff was also considering him for a slot receiver role although it did not seem that he would be the feature back. Outside of moving into the slot, Thomas would be hard pressed to get carries until the 2017 season.

A move to JSU makes all the sense in the world. First, JSU is coming off an FCS Championship. Secondly, Thomas wouldn’t have to sit out a year, due to the FBS-FCS transfer rules. And finally, Thomas would be playing for John Grass, his head coach at Oxford High School.

So, the trend isn’t about bad attitudes, playing time, or program instability … it is primarily about opportunity.

Coach Clint Myers is ready for Auburn's second trip to the College World Series. "The difference between last year's team and this year's team is experience. We know what to expect. They're not going to be as in awe.'

Today is a day we set aside to remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms, our way of life, and our country. There is no greater love of country than to lay down one’s life for one’s homeland. God bless our fallen heroes … We will never forget!

Kizzire, Barber to return for local golf tournament247SportsBarber was a two-time All-American during his career at Auburn. He still holds the school record for career stroke average and is first and third on the all-time single-season stroke average list. In 2015, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs and former ...

Part of that rally was powered by Haley Fagan, who didn't even see the field until the post-season. She still hasn't been able to get in on defense, she has to be pinch-run for when she gets on base, but her bat is starting to return to slugging form.

TRACK & FIELD

FOOTBALL

It's that time of year where high school seniors are graduating all across the country and reporting to college to get busy on off-season workouts and prepare for fall practice in August. At least nine of Auburn's signees should have arrived or will arrive this weekend. That doesn't sound like much, at first, but remember that the Tigers had nine early enrollees this year, so that leaves very few to finish up their high school time and get here.

As you all know by now, the Auburn Girls Softball team will be heading to the College World Series of the second year in a row. The Auburn Girls had to win two games on Sunday on a hot and humid afternoon in Auburn, Alabama. My compliments to the Auburn grounds crew and their families for setting up a tent and offering us drinks during the game. They do keep the field in great condition.Kaylee Carlson and Makayla Martin both pitched well and Auburn defeated the Arizona Wildcats 4-1 in the first game and 6-1 in the second game. I think that freshman Makayla Martin is now a veteran after pitching well in game 2. I did feel like I was watching a different Auburn team perform on Sunday after Auburn went down to the Wildcats 5-3 on Saturday. Auburn's defense and hitting was much improved on Sunday and Haley Fagan came up with a two run double in game 2 and a home run that landed near our tailgate area in the left center field area in game 3. We retrieved the ball for Haley and made sure that she got the ball back. Haley had missed most of the season due to a knee injury so her performance gets the nod from this guy.Also, Emily Carosone continued to excel on Sunday. She was 3 for 5 with an RBI in the first game. Kasey Coper did get an RBI even though she was not getting any good pitches to hit for obvious reasons. Tiffany Howard accounted for 2 RBIs in the first game and Madi Gipson had an RBI. Carlee Wallace caught two great games and she had 2 RBIs in the second game. I continue to be amazed at her performance behind the plate and you seldom see any teams try to steal bases due to her arm. After the game, the Auburn players entered the crowd to visit with their families and sign autographs. Several players assisted the Auburn fans with rolling the tree that is near the gate entrance.I did get home last night in time to watch the end of the Oregon/UCLA game. UCLA did win 2-1 so Auburn will be facing UCLA on Thursday afternoon. If Auburn does defeat UCLA, they will then play the winner of the FSU/UGA game. This will be an interesting World Series and Auburn has already defeated 4 of the teams that will be playing for the National Softball Championship. Clint Myers did take the Arizona State Sun Devils to the College World Series 7 times and he did win a ring in 2008 and 2011 so I dole Auburn's odds at winning a ring this year.Enjoy the games and War Eagle!

Sunday, May 29, 2016

The Auburn Softball team went into Sunday’s final day of the NCAA Super Regional down by one game. After dropping Saturday’s opening game 5-3 to Arizona the Tigers had to force a game three to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the second consecutive year.

The Tigers did just that downing the Wildcats 4-1 and 6-1. The wins came with good defense, timely hitting and superb pitching. Freshman Makayla Martin and sophomore Kaylee Carlson went the distance in the two games with each allowing only one earned run.

While Tiffany Howard, Kasey Cooper, Emily Carasone, and Carlee Wallace all had big hits, it was the performance of Haley Fagan that had to be the highlight of the day. The Redshirt juniorwho had to miss 55 games this season due to knee surgery, hit a two-run double to put Auburn ahead in game two and then hit a massive solo homer in game three, giving the Tigers some insurance in their deciding 6-1 victory.

The Tigers will fly out Monday morning on their second consecutive trip to Oklahoma City and the Women’s College World Series. Auburn is expected to play the winner of the Oregon – UCLA game this Thursday.

Coach Clint Meyers was understandably proud.“These young ladies have started their journey for a national championship,” said Meyers. “They just need to continue along the lines they currently are doing. It could be a very, very good World Series for us.”

No. 9 Auburn men’s golf missed the 15-team cut for the final round of stroke play in the NCAA Championship by a shot on Sunday at the Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. The Tigers tied for 19th with a three-round 28-over 294-281-293—868 as they dropped 12 shots on the final five holes. Auburn entered the third round in a five-way tie for 15th after climbing 12 spots after the first round.

After Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton walked away from questioners during his post-Super Bowl press conference on Feb. 7, it seemed as though everyone with an outlet shared their opinion on the behavior of 2015 NFL MVP. But what did his father, Cecil Newton, think of the former Auburn star's choice?

Auburn, riding the pitching of Kaylee Carlson, wrapped up its second straight trip to college softball’s biggest stage in Oklahoma City with a victory over Arizona in Sunday’s winner-take-all second game. That came after the Tigers beat the Wildcats 4-1 in the first game

Arizona's ace pitcher Danielle O'Toole shut Auburn down with the exception of a few hits in Saturday night's Game 1 of the Auburn Super Regional. Arizona's small ball offense gave the Tigers fits to the tune of four runs in the top of the 6th inning without a ball getting out of the in-field, and Auburn couldn't come back even with Jade Rhodes leading off the bottom of the 7th with a home run to cut the score to 5-3.

That's where the staff comes in, though. Kaylee Carlson threw most of Game 1 for Auburn, with Rachel Walters coming on in the 6th. Danielle O'Toole went the distance for the Wildcats. When Sunday afternoon's Game 2 came along, with Auburn needing to win to stretch the series to the Game 3, the Tigers put in a fresh arm in freshman Makayla Martin. Arizona, meanwhile, tried a new pitcher, but quickly put O'Toole back in the game in the 1st inning.

The Wildcats looked to continue things in Game 2, scoring 1 run in the bottom of the 2nd, but a big rally in the 4th - sparked by an "unorthodox" play where Carosone was given 2nd base after 1st baseman interference was ruled when she had otherwise been thrown out - gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead that they held on to through the end of Game 2 for the win. Makayla Martin went the distance for the Tigers, while Arizona had to use three different pitchers.

Arizona again tried to pitch O'Toole in the decisive Game 3. Auburn opened with 2 runs in the 1st inning off the bats of Kasey Cooper and Carlee Wallace. Two more crossed the plate in the 3rd, against thanks to Carlee Wallace, who continues her clutch post-season hitting.

The magic happened in the Bottom of the 5th, though, as Haley Fagan - who didn't play during the entire regular season for Auburn after tearing her ACL in the fall - launched a ball into deep left field for a solo home run. Fagan has been struggling to get things going and is not full speed running the bases, and this was one of only 2-3 hits she's had since getting back in. It was a big one, though, giving Auburn the 5-0 lead.

Arizona finally put one on the board in the Top 6th on Kaylee Carlson, who had pitched a masterful game. The Tigers added another run on an Emily Carosone RBI in the Bottom 6th to make it 6-1 and loaded the bases with 2 outs for Jade Rhodes with a chance to walk-off run-rule the game, but the Wildcats got out of the inning.

Arizona had one last shot in the Top of the 7th, and they put together a pretty good rally early on with three straight singles to load the bases with zero outs. A great catch by Kasey Cooper on a line drive got out #1, another snag on a line drive by Jade Rhodes was out #2, and then a chopped ball right in front of the plate that Carlee Wallace snagged and stepped on the plate ended the game.

This will be the 2nd trip in a row to Oklahoma City for Auburn and the 2nd trip in the school's history. Clint Myers arrived on campus and told his team they would play in the Women's College World Series. He has truly delivered.

In the Women's College World Series, Auburn's first game will be against the winner of the Oregon/UCLA Regional. As of this publishing, that looks to be Oregon, who won Game 1 and currently has a lead on UCLA early in Game 2. The games begin Thursday, 2 June. For a full schedule, see the NCAA's website. You can also go there to get tickets if you'd like to make the trip out to Oklahoma City.

Haley Fagan and Tiffany Howard delivered the big hits and Auburn lived to play another game in the NCAA Super Regional at Jane B. Moore Field on Sunday. Auburn, facing elimination in Game 1, beat Arizona to force a second game that will send the winner to the College World Series.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. -- Five-star Auburn pledge Austin Wiley returned to the court, after injuring his ankle in his state playoffs in March. Wiley discussed his return, how he's stayed in shape, his plans for the summer and his relationship with Bruce Pearl.

Use of substitute teachers on the riseGalesburg Register-MailThe idea that a substitute just needs to sort of hold down the fort for the day, and it doesn't really matter if any real learning goes on — that's harder and harder for districts to accept,” Jacobs said. “At the ... Both studies — along with another ...

Use of substitute teachers on the riseGalesburg Register-MailThe idea that a substitute just needs to sort of hold down the fort for the day, and it doesn't really matter if any real learning goes on — that's harder and harder for districts to accept,” Jacobs said. “At the ... Both studies — along with another ...

The Auburn track and field team had a strong day during the final day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries as two relays and six individuals punched tickets for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., in two weeks. A total of 13 individuals will be competing in a combined 10 events at the championships.

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley proclaimed Georgia as "Running Back U" last week. There are many ways to pinpoint Running Back U more objectively than the opinion of Gurley, who's an alumnus of Georgia. Here's one: NFL rushing yards produced by alumni. Which college's former players have compiled the most rushing yards in the NFL?

No. 9 Auburn men’s golf fired a 1-over 281 and climbed 12 spots and is in a ive-way tie for 15th after the NCAA Championship second round on Saturday at the Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. Auburn is only five shots out of the top eight. The 30-team field is cut to 15 teams after three rounds and to eight after the fourth round followed by match play.

Auburn will be looking for a two-game winning streak and another trip to the College World Series in Jane B. Moore Field on Sunday. Arizona beat the Tigers in the first game of the Auburn Super Regional on Saturday.

One is a classy cowboy fond of saying you must be willing to plant seeds for trees you’ll never shade under. The other is an old ball player who never wears long pants, always has a yellow stop watch around his neck and says greatness is more than how you practice or play the game. It’s a way of life.

One is a classy cowboy fond of saying you must be willing to plant seeds for trees you’ll never shade under. The other is an old ball player who never wears long pants, always has a yellow stop watch around his neck and says greatness is more than how you practice or play the game. It’s a way of life.

Auburn's odd couple knows: Family really is the differenceAuburn Tigers Official Athletic SiteBoth would tell you it's their players and their staff and the athletic department's commitment to excellence. And it's Auburn. Not just the university—the Family. It's real for both of them. But more on that in a moment. Auburn Director of Athletics ...

Recruiting chat transcript247SportsIf you have a question about Auburn Tigers football recruiting, this is the place to ask it. Simply use the comments section below and we'll ... Athletics director Jay Jacobs and the university aren't in a giving mood. The ongoing feud between Golloway ...

Friday, May 27, 2016

All-SEC Matt Gilchrest’s 1-over 71 led Auburn men’s golf in the NCAA Championship first round on Friday at the Eugene (Ore.) Country Club as the Tigers are four shots off the cutline. No. 9 Auburn is tied for 27th at 14-over 294, four shots behind four teams in a tie for 15th. The 30-team field is cut to 15 teams after three rounds.

Auburn senior Rachel Dincoff qualified for her second consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championship in the discus with a throw of 52.25/171-5 Friday at the East Preliminaries. Dincoff joins teammate Alyssa Kopp as Auburn athletes bound for Eugene, Ore., and the national meet in two weeks.

After struggling with Jacksonville State in the first game of the Auburn NCAA Regional, the Tigers run-ruled Jacksonville State in the championship game14–2, thanks to three hits apiece by Emily Carosone and Kasey Cooper. Clint Myers used four different pitchers in the deciding game. The win improved Auburn to 52–9 and set the Tigers up to host an NCAA Super Regional against the Arizona Wildcats starting Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT.

The three-game series renews an old rivalry between Clint Myers and the Wildcats. Coach Myers coached at Arizona State for seven years, and he and Arizona coach Mike Candrea held a heated rivalry.

Since taking the job in 1986, Coach Candrea has won more than 1,400 games in Tempe, including an astounding eight national championships. He took breaks in 2004 and 2008 to coach the Olympic teams.

When Myers left for the Plains, he held a 10–11 record against Candrea, which he evened up at 11–11 when Auburn defeated Arizona 20–1 last year in the regular season. However, the two have never met in the post-season.

Think it’s just a game? Think again. “They didn’t like me when I was at Arizona State, I don’t think that’s changed,” Myers said. “I think that’s the nature of the beast. It’s just like us and Alabama with Arizona—Arizona State. It doesn’t matter, I don’t listen to them. I don’t hear them.”

However, unlike rivals in other Auburn sports, Myers and Candrea have done more off the field than just play the occasional charity golf event. Their kids played sports together while their fathers coached together. Mike Candrea, Jr. and Corey and Casey Myers all played baseball growing up.

“Michael, Jr. and I and my brother grew up spending basically every day of the summer together,” Corey Myers said. “Whether it was at our house or at his house, both of us had a pool, spent a lot of time in the pool and playing baseball. Mike, Sr. was our first-base coach. and Coach (Clint Myers) was our third-base coach. That’s how it was growing up. When we got off the Little League field and got into the big baseball-size field, that was our coaching staff all the way up to the time my brother graduated.”

What can fans expect from the series? Let’s take a look.

The Tigers are hitting a combined .329 with an on base percentage of .450. That’s slightly under last year’s cumulative statistics, including the total number of home runs, walks, and hit by pitch. Without a miraculous flurry of home runs, Auburn will not match last year’s program record of 99. The Tigers currently stand at 79 long balls.

Much of that can be attributed to the number of walks given to SEC Player of the Year, Kasey Cooper, who walked 66 times in 2016. Leading into the rematch with Jacksonville State, Cooper was walked five times in the previous two games. She added five walks during the SEC Tournament, four of those against in-state rival Alabama. The handcuffs were taken off in the final game, and Cooper responded with three hits, including a double and an RBI.

Auburn is 13–3 against left-handed hurlers. That could be a problem for the Tigers because Arizona will almost certainly start lefty Danielle O’Toole. She is coming off a busy regional series where she threw 19.1 of Arizona’s 22 innings. O’Toole posted a 1.09 ERA and a .109 opponent batting average. O’Toole leads the Pac-12 with 25 victories in 40 appearances—13 more than the next Wildcat pitcher.

Whereas Arizona and coach Candrea are decidedly “old school,” having just one ace to carry the workload inside the circle, coach Myers has multiple options. No Auburn pitcher has more than 17 starts, much less that many victories. Who will start? Will it be Rachael Walters, Makayla Martin, or Kaylee Carlson?

The key to an Auburn victory? Simple. Score early.

Auburn is 30–4 when scoring in the first inning and 42–6 when scoring first. Auburn’s success starts up front as the Tigers have one of the top five hitters in college softball. That doesn’t diminish the rest of the order as Auburn has just two regulars under .300, three of whom have averages over .400. In addition, part-time starter Courtney Shea adds serious power with eight homers.

With the chances of walking Cooper remaining high, it is imperative for Emily Carosone and Tiffany Howard to reach base and force Arizona to pitch to Carlee Wallace, even though she has cooled down lately. Don’t be surprised to see another Tiger slip into the cleanup role.

On the flip side, Arizona has only four players hitting over .300 and none over .400. After Katiyana Mauga, Arizona’s best threat, the batting averages plummet significantly, ending with Joelle Krist at under .200.

That shouldn’t diminish the threat of the Wildcat’s offensive ability, especially with Mauga. She has hit 21 long balls in 2016, over a third of the 67 bombs hit by the team. Many teams elect to pitch around her, but the chance of Myers electing to up her 43 walks is probably slim. Instead, he will try and force outs ahead of Mauga.

That’s a tall task as the three hitters in front of Mauga all have on-base percentages over .400. Still, limiting base runners ahead of Mauga is probably the game plan, especially for a team that fields at a .969 efficiency mark and made most of its errors late in the season.

Outside of Mauga, Auburn must be careful pitching to Mandie Perez. The three-hole hitter has 11 home runs and adds an impressive number of doubles (11). She easily scored the most runs for the Wildcats (59) and has the second most hits (64), trailing only lead-off hitter Mo Mercado. Arizona fields at a .964 mark.

Arizona hasn’t been to Oklahoma City since 2010. The Wildcats struggled on the road this year, posting a 9–8 record. And, this Super Regional marks the first time since 1991 that Arizona has been the underdog.

Another positive for Auburn in the matchup with Arizona is that the Tigers are currently 36–2 in out-of-conference games, with the losses being to James Madison and Florida State, Auburn’s only ranked out-of-conference opponents. Auburn is 33–5 at home with one of the five defeats being the loss to FSU. The Tigers are 3–1 all time against Arizona. Let’s hope that record improves to 5–1 this weekend.

Make sure to watch the game on ESPN2 and follow me on Twitter @Best5Zach as I live tweet!

Auburn a place elite RB 'felt comfortable'247SportsLast week, Chandler, whose father played at Ole Miss, named a top 8 of Auburn, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Southern California and Tennessee in no particular order. According to Chandler, that Auburn running backs coach Tim Horton has ...

#PMARSHONAU: The winning edge247SportsSoftball has the winning edge. Others want it. Who can get it? Includes photo gallery of some of Auburn's championship teams. ... Athletics director Jay Jacobs and the university aren't in a giving mood. The ongoing feud between Golloway and his former ...